Method and device for holding and identifying surgical instruments

ABSTRACT

A method and device for identification of surgical instruments, in particular of dental instruments, uses a stationary geometric arrangement of instrument holders and a suitable positional allocation of the instruments to these holders. The holders are provided in an arrangement of raster modules which cooperate with a base unit, only a single raster module being accessible in each case for removal and fitting of instruments.

The invention relates to a method for identification of surgicalinstruments, in particular of dental instruments, such as scalpels,drills, files, etc., in each case before and after use, and to a devicefor carrying out such a method.

In the field of dentistry in particular, frequently used instruments,for example drills, have to be able to be identified and automaticallyrecognized by type. This identification is becoming increasinglyimportant particularly in modern dentistry, because the use ofinstruments such as drills is increasingly being done by intelligentcontrol appliances which, depending on the type of drill used,automatically control the speed of rotation, torque and parametercharacteristics. The required identification has hitherto been done bymanual input or selection of the actual drill type via a keyboard, bythe dentist, but this is awkward, time-consuming and associated withhigh risks of error.

To identify surgical and dental instruments, one possibility is to usean optical coding by bar code, etc. This optical coding is, however,problematic in the case of small instruments, such as drills, because ofthe small dimensions and, in addition to this, is not practicablebecause of the risk of contamination. It is also conceivable to performidentification by means of a magnetic coding, but this would have to beperformed in advance by the instrument manufacturer and is difficult toimplement on the market, especially since the coding remains limited toa subquantity of the instruments, and magnetic coding only permits asmall code range, which leads to ambiguities in the identification. Amagnetic coding is therefore not practicable.

A further possibility for providing identification is to use anelectronic coding with a transponder, but this cannot be done because ofthe required temperature exposure during sterilization of instrumentsafter use.

In addition to the specific individual identification of surgicalinstruments, in particular of dental instruments, for their specificcontrol, there is also a need for monitoring and recording the durationof use and intensity of use of individual instruments and for suitableimprovement in sterilization logistics for the instruments.

Accordingly, the object of the invention is to make available a methodand a device of the generic type mentioned at the outset, which can berealized without technical problems and which permits a reliable andproducible identification.

With the method according to the invention, a reliable identification ofindividual instruments is permitted in a simple manner on the basis of afirst position in a predetermined desired arrangement, which positioncan be clearly assigned or prearranged. According to the method, astationary geometric arrangement of holders for the instruments is firstprovided, which arrangement in each case has a first holder forinsertion of a sterilized instrument and a second holder for insertionof the same instrument after use.

This is followed by positional allocation of instruments to therespective instrument holders in the arrangement; the duration of use ofindividual instruments is preferably determined by means of the removaland return procedures of the individual instruments being detected andrecorded, and the position detection data for control and monitoring areindividually evaluated and stored. It is further preferred that at leastthe treatment section of each used instrument is cleaned in the secondholder, for example by a sterilization liquid.

In terms of the device, the invention is characterized by an arrangementof raster modules which each have two instrument holders, and by a baseunit which has a section for the respective raster module holder, whichis accessible only for removal and fitting of the respective rastermodule.

Each raster module is preferably accessible by opening a closure lidassigned to the raster module holder. Alternatively, each raster moduleis accessible by being partially withdrawn from the raster modulearrangement, in which case each raster module can preferably be movedout of the raster module arrangement on an associated carriage.

According to a further alternative, each raster module is accessible bybeing partially pivoted out from the raster module arrangement, in whichcase each raster module can preferably be arranged on an associatedpivot part of the base unit.

The raster modules can be arranged exchangeably on the raster modulesections and can be secured detachably by means of, for example, adetachable locking arrangement or in some other way.

According to a preferred further embodiment of the invention, theaccessible state of each raster module can be detected by means of asensor, and the detection signal can be transmitted to an evaluationunit. In this way, it is possible not only to identify and retrieve therelevant instrument automatically, but also to monitor and record theduration of use and intensity of use of individual instruments. In thisconnection, it is also advantageous if the evaluation unit formonitoring the duration of use of the individual instruments isconnected to a processor, a memory and a display.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base unitcomprises the evaluation unit and other electronic components, by whichmeans the raster modules can advantageously be easily sterilized withoutelectronic devices after removal from the base unit.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, it is expedient, forretrieving a specified instrument, if the base unit for each rastermodule has a preferably optical signal transmitter for the operationalstate of the associated instrument.

The base unit preferably has a means by which, upon access to one rastermodule, the other raster modules are maintained inaccessible. This meanscan be realized for example in the form of a mechanical lock.Alternatively, electronic means can also be provided, it being ensuredthat only one sensor or switch is in the ON state at any one time. Inthis way, it is possible to effectively avoid operational errors causedby multiple removal from the magazine-like raster modules arranged nextto one another.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, raster modules arecombined as a magazine unit, each magazine unit having a coding that canbe detected by the base unit. In this way, in combination with automaticdetection, different raster module arrangements can be suitably combinedwith the same base unit.

To improve the sterilization conditions for the instruments, a furtherembodiment provides that each raster module has a container which isassigned to the holder for a used instrument and which containssterilization liquid into which the used instrument can be partiallyimmersed.

According to the invention, for identification of the individualinstruments on the basis of the fixed position provided in the definedgeometric arrangement of raster modules, either an opening mechanism ora slide mechanism or a tilting mechanism is provided, this beingassigned to the raster module holder of the base unit. The desiredraster module position is in each case determined and coded either byopening of a lid, by moving a carriage out or by tilting the rastermodule forwards, by a sensor or by a switch group and electronicallytransmitted to a corresponding separate evaluation unit, for example anEndostepper, by radio, by infrared or by cable, if the evaluation unitis not arranged in the base unit. For the added object of monitoring theduration of use of the individual instruments, suitable logisticsconsisting of processor, memory and display can also be provided, thisobject also being able to be achieved by a separate device according tothe invention.

The basic design of the device according to the invention has inprinciple two main structural groups, on the one hand the base unit andon the other hand the arrangement of raster modules which are designedin the manner of a magazine and can be fitted on the base unit. Thenecessary electronic components are arranged in the base unit, while theraster module arrangement or the magazine represent the components forthe geometric/mechanical arrangement. This separation is expedient inview of the required sterilization of the holder for the instruments,since the raster modules are designed without electronics and the baseunit provided with electronics remains protected from the highsterilization temperatures. The magazine for the combination of severalraster modules has the added advantage that several magazines can ineach case be used in conjunction with one base unit, in which case themagazines can be differentiated by a suitable coding.

In each raster module there are two holders for each instrument type,one holder for a sterile or fresh instrument, and the other holder forthe already used instrument, in which case the used instrument holder isassigned a receptacle containing a standard sterilization liquid, forexample NaOCl, in order to clean the used instrument at least partiallyby immersion.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is explained in more detailbelow with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top view of a magazine-like arrangement of rastermodules;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged diagrammatic side view of the device shown inFIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 shows the view of the device according to FIG. 3, with a rastermodule pivoted out.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front view of an illustrative embodiment of adevice 10 according to the invention for identification of surgicalinstruments, in particular of dental instruments. The device 10 consistsof a base unit 11 and of a magazine-like arrangement 12 of individualraster modules 13 in which, in this illustrative embodiment, dentalinstruments in the form of drills 14 are arranged.

Each raster module 13 is made of a transparent material and has a holder15 for sterilized drills and a holder 16 for used drills. Because of themagazine-like, tiered arrangement of the raster modules 13, the holders15 and 16 are each arranged in a line.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic enlarged side view of the device 10. The baseunit 11 includes a vertical rear wall 18 and a cover 19, which can eachbe made of transparent material. Reference number 20 designates a rastermodule section which, in the area of the vertical rear wall 18, has atilt axle 21 extending parallel to the rear wall 18. The raster moduleholder 20 serves only to receive a single raster module 13, which issecured on it, for example by locking in the bottom area.

The figure also shows a used drill 17 which is arranged in the holder 16of the raster module 13 and whose lower half protrudes into a container22 which is filled to over three quarters with a sterilization liquid23.

In the state shown in FIG. 3, the holders 15, 16 and the drills 14, 17,respectively, are not accessible. If a raster module 13 is pivoted outfrom the arrangement via the tilt axle 21, as is shown in FIG. 4, accessto the instruments 14 and 17 is obtained. FIGS. 3 and 4 also show atouch switch 24 which reports the pivoted-out state of a raster module13 to electronics (not shown) in the interior of the base unit 11, whichsends a signal to a separate evaluation unit (not shown), for example anEndostepper, by radio, by infrared or by cable. A mechanical orelectronic means can also be provided (in a manner not shown) to ensurethat, after tilting of the raster module 13, another raster module 13cannot also be tilted outwards. In a manner not shown here, the baseunit also has, for each instrument holder 15, 16, an electrical sensorwhich reports the respective operational state of the associatedinstrument holder.

1. A device comprising an arrangement of raster modules, each rastermodule including at least two instrument holders for holding surgicalinstruments; a base unit including raster module holders for holding theraster modules, and means for accessing the raster modules, wherein onlyone raster module is selectively accessible for removal and fitting ofinstruments.
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the accessingmeans comprises a closure lid, and wherein each raster module isaccessible by opening the closure lid operatively associated with theraster module holder.
 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein theaccessing means comprises each raster module being accessible by partialwithdrawal from the raster module arrangement.
 4. The device accordingto claim 3, wherein each raster module is movable out of the rastermodule arrangement on an associated carriage.
 5. The device according toclaim 1, wherein the accessing means comprises a pivoting connectionbetween the raster module arrangement and the base unit, and whereineach raster module is accessible by being partially pivoted out from theraster module arrangement.
 6. The device according to claim 5, whereineach raster module can be arranged on an associated pivot part of thebase unit.
 7. The device according to skim claim 1, wherein the baseunit comprises a sensor or switch, and an evaluation unit, and whereinthe accessible state of each raster module is detectable by means of athe sensor or switch and the detection signal is transmittable from thesensor or switch to the evaluation unit.
 8. The device according toclaim 7, wherein, the base unit further comprises a processor includinga memory and a display, the processor operatively connected to theevaluation unit for monitoring the duration of use of individualinstruments.
 9. The device according claim 1, wherein the base unitcomprises an evaluation unit.
 10. The device according to claim 1,wherein the base unit comprises a signal transmitter for each rastermodule, the signal transmitter for signalling the state of instrumentslocated in the holders.
 11. The device according to skim claim 1,wherein the base unit comprises means for preventing access to the otherraster modules upon access to one raster module.
 12. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein several raster modules are designed as amagazine unit which has a coding that can be detected by the base unit.13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the base unit comprises anoptical signal means for each raster module.
 14. The device according toclaim 1, wherein each raster module comprises a container which isallocated to one of the instrument holders for holding a usedinstrument, and a sterilization liquid disposed in the container andinto which the used instrument can be partially immersed.